Toshiba today announced that it would construct two new fabs, in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, and in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture.

One of the new fabs will initially fabricate advanced generations of NAND flash memory, and it is also expected to produce future memory. The other fab will provide capacity to meet Toshiba's future semiconductor requirements.

The new fabs will be built on the site of Iwate Toshiba Electronics Co., Ltd. (Iwate Toshiba), a Toshiba consolidated subsidiary, and adjacent to Toshiba's Yokkaichi Operations, where four NAND flash fabs are already in operation. Following completion of all required procedures, construction of the new fabs is expected to start in the spring of 2009, targeting completion in 2010.

Separately today, Toshiba and SanDisk Corporation also signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding on one of the new fabs, targeting a production start-up date in 2010, and a related production joint venture. Details of the fab, including site location, will be finalized as planning progresses.

In the future, Toshiba plans to discuss with SanDisk their interest in participating in the other new fab.